CONCILIATION BOARD.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8130, 3 May 1906, Page 6

CONCILIATION BOARD.

THE COAOHBUILDERS' DISPUTE. A sitting of the Conciliation Board for the Wrlliugton Industrial District, was heldj in the Mastertou Courthouse, yesterday, to further consider the coach builders' disnute. Ihs membera of the Board present wore:—Messrs P. J. O'Eegan (nhair man), A. H. Cooper and A. Collins (representing the employees), and H. Innis and F. Bedford (representing the employers.) The following ccachbuilders in the Wairarapa district were present:—Messrs T. Wagg, J. JI. Pauling and J. C. Ewington (Mastertou), E. Bauoke (Pubiatua and Kouini), W. Masson (Cartoiton), E. Kea (Greytown), W. Aitohusou (Martiuborough), and S. Aitcbesou (Featherston). Mr W. H. Wostbrooke represented the Wellington Ccachbuilders' Industrial Union of Workers, and Mr W. A. W. Grenfell, Secretary of the Wellington Employers' Association, appeared for the employers.

The claim? for the new award provide for the recognition of four classes of labour, viz.:—Journeymen, journeymen who are unable to earn the wages prescribed, apprentices and labourers; nil journeymen coach builders to be paid at a isto of not less than la Cd per hour; the week's work to consist of 44 hours and overtime to bo paid at the following rate:—From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m time and a-quarter, 9 p.m. to 12 (midnight) time and a-half, after 12 to S a.m. double time, ChristmasDay, Good Friday, Labour Day and Sunday double time, Saturday afternoons (statutory half-holiday) 12 to 5 p.m., time and a quarter, after 5 to 9, time and a-half, and all Statute holidajs, time and a-half. All boys to be indentured for live years, three calendar months probation to be permitted, such period to count as part of the five years' apprenticeship. The proportion of boys to be one to three, or fraction of throe, journeymen, in the smithing department an apprentice to be entitled to a fire when he has served three years, and in case of small workshops, where no journeymen are employed an apprentice in each shop to be allowed. The uurnb«r of labourers not to be restricted. Piece-work not to bo allowed. The claims include a clause for the reduction of wages to incompetents and tor equal treatment to Unionists and non-Unionists. In case of a dispute over the interpretation of any oft he clauses the matter to be referred to a committee consisting of two representatives of the employers and two representatives of the Union.

The counter proposal" of the employers provide for five classes of labour, viz., journeymen, workmen who are unable to earn the prescribed wage, certificated apprentices, uncertificated apprentices and labourers. On five days of the week the ordinary working day snail be between the bours of 7.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m., and one day of the, week between the bours of 7.30 p.m. and 1 p.m. Overtime shall be paid lor all work done between the hours of 5.30 p.m. and 7.30 a.m., and on the afternoou of the Statutory half-holiday as follows:—For the first four hours, time and aquarter; all time after the first four hours, time and a-half; Sundays, double time; Christmas Day, Good Friday, Labour Day and King's Birthday, time and a-half; provided that should a workman absent himself from work doling working hours he shall nut he entitled to overtime for work done after the ordinary working hours until he has worked the required number of hours during each week. Payment and length of service of apprentices are stipulated, also that when the ( apprentice has served half of his full term, extra apprentices may be taken on in the proportion of one to every three or fraction first three apprentices. Labourers to be unrestricted. Any dispute to be referred to a S.M., or Chairman of Conciliation Board, representatives of both sides to be present at the hearing, Workman to be employed at piene work on such terms as may be arranged between the workmen and employer. Incompetents to be permitted to work at a reduced wage, employers to empky either Unionists or non-Uniouists, and no workmen in regular employment to do outside work at the trade. Mr E. Mo IS wen stated that the demands of the coachbuilders did not affect the blacksmiths and enquired ! whether it was necessary for the I blacksmiths to remain in Court.

Mr Cooper, who acted as Chairman till the arrival of Mr o'Regan, said that if the demands did not affect the blacksmiths there waß no necessity for them to remaiu. The Board then adjourned in order to allow the coach builders and Messrs fnuis and Cooper to confer together. At 3 p.m. the Board resumed its sitting, and it wB9 reported that'the coaebbuilders had arrived at an understanding, and had agreed with tbo employees in all points except those relating to piecework, and the rate of wages. The Union had waived their clause regarding preference to Uniousts, and had accepted the clause of the ervployera, viz : "That no employer shall discriminate against a Union or its members." In the course of hia argument Mr Westbrooke stated .that the Union considered that employers were entitled to more than la M per hour. There was more skill required iu coacbbuildiug than any other trade, and as there was a certain amount of artistic work attached to it, bo thought the employees wore entitled to a higher rate of pay. lie was fully convinced that tbe trade was in a sufficiently nourishing condition to ■warrant an incroaeo in w»ges. The Unirn was anxious to improve the status of the trade. He considered piece-work pernicious to the trade. In the busy season as many men as possible were employed, but when work was slack there wore a great many men unemployed. The awards in force in Canterbury or Otago did not aliow of piece-work, and he thought the same should be in force in Wellington. In answer to a question by the Chairman, Mr West brooke stated that ho thought the cost of living was lower in Masterton than Wellington, and that would have an effect on the wages. The

Union desired a uniform wage to be fixed for the whole of the Wellington district. Mr Grenfell stated that because the season was slack it did not mean that employees had to be put off, and he thought that he might safely say that men engaged in the coachbuilding trade had almost continuous work. There were a large number of importations from America, and if the cost of production was increased he failed to see how New Zealand manufacturers were going to compete with foreign manufacturers. He thought that the cost of living ip the country must certainly be less than in the city. Men on piecework could not "skimp" their work. The employers had either the option of dismissing them or making them do the work over again. The advantages of piece-work were that the employers got their work done quicker, and the employee got better wages. The opinion of employers generally was that piecework gave satisfaction to both parties. He pointed out that there was no award yet in force in the country, and he thought that the wages in the country should be less than in the city on account of the lower cost of living. The average wage paid in the country was Is l>.<d per hour, and in the city it was Is 3d per hour. The Chairman: How do you meet Mr Westbrooke's argument that piece-work is forbidden in Canterbury and Otago? Mr Grenfell said that he wished the employees to be allowed to eraploy men on pieoe-work if they desired to do so. He also stated that the employers in the country were prepared to pay Is 2d per hour, which he thought was a fair and a reasonable wage., Neither party desired to call evidence and the Board adjourned. The Board will also sit at Danuevirke, Napier, Palmerston North and Wanganui.